Chef Ramesh Pillai, will be bringing his culinary talents to the new restaurant at Gallows Point Resort, above.
This coming high season will bring several new restaurants to the Love City dining scene, including a venture by Chef Ramesh Pillai at the former Zozo’s Ristorante location at Gallows Point resort.
Pillai will wear the hats of both chef and owner-partner of Ocean 362, set to open in mid-October following a complete kitchen overhaul.
“We’re pushing to open by the middle of the month,” said Pillai. “We have completely gutted the kitchen out and it will be brand new, with state-of-the-art equipment and LED lights, when we open.”
Named after the stunning water views and the resort’s address, Ocean 362 will feature dishes inspired by both the land and the sea, Pillai explained.
A native of southern India, Pillai has been in the restaurant business for almost 30 years. He has helmed kitchens from Switzerland to Puerto Rico, picking up a Silver Fork Award, Chef’s Hat Award and Chef of the Year title from Wyndham Hotels along the way.
Pillai has been a guest on Discovery Channel’s “Great Chefs of the World” program and featured in a Gourmet Magazine story.
Pillai’s latest venture was an Indian fusion concept in Old San Juan Puerto Rico called Tantra.
While that will not be the concept at Ocean 362, according to the chef, diners should not be surprised to find bold flavors and exciting spices on the menu.
“You may see some elements from my travels, but the menu will be contemporary Caribbean American cuisine,” he said. “It will feature both meat and seafood.”
The new restaurant at Gallows Point Resort compliments the resort’s recent renovations, explained the resort’s general manager.
“Chef Pillai has created superb cuisine and masterpiece menus for some of the great hotel chains of the world,” said Gallows Point Resort General Manager Akhil Deshwal. “We are thrilled that he will be practicing his extraordinary talent at our new oceanfront restaurant — Ocean 362. We believe Chef Pillai, his menu and our new restaurant will offer a popular and high-quality amenity for our guests and for St. John visitors and residents.”
Ocean 362’s menu will feature some gourmet-style health-oriented dishes as well as Pillai’s favorites, such as grilled local mahi mahi served with cashew tamarind pilaf, spice crusted seared sashimi tuna, double cut lamb chops with mint chutney, duck confit with mushroom risotto and grilled asparagus, tournadoes of aged beef tenderloin with Asiago chicken sausage and vegetables, Malabar shrimp curry with cumin pilaf, and lobster risotto, according to Deshwal.
An array of new appetizers, soups, salads and desserts will also be featured on the Ocean 362 menu, the Gallows Point General Manager added.
Ocean 362 is taking over the space formerly occupied by Zozo’s Ristorante, which is moving to Caneel Bay Resort. Zozo’s is expected to open at the former Sugar Mill Restaurant, which is being completely renovated, in November.
In Cruz Bay, the former JJ’s Texas Coast Cafe location in Frank Powell Park is also under extensive renovation. The restaurant, under new ownership, will be called Cruz Bay Landing when it opens sometime early next month.
